


The Learning Ploy

by Ononymous



Series: Father's Day/Asgore Week 2019 [3]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-05-14 05:49:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19267072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ononymous/pseuds/Ononymous
Summary: Toriel is called away to an urgent school matter, and indeed finds it urgent. If not strictly school related.





	The Learning Ploy

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Surprise

The class had long since tuned out the pitter-patter of the rain against the window, instead trying to keep paying attention to the words being added to the growing list on the blackboard by their teacher. Finishing the last word she put the chalk down, rubbing her fingers and thumb together to clear dust from her white fur, and turned back to address them.

"...and while 'I before E except after C' is useful for the vocabulary I am likely to teach you, you must remember that it is not absolute. 'Freight', for example, does not follow that rule. And neither does 'glacier'. Hmm, come to think of it, neither does 'neither'. Hee hee!"

A yellow tail shot into the air. "Yo, Miss Toriel."

Toriel adjusted her spectacles. "Yes?"

"So like, if a spelling rule has all these exceptions, why the heck is it a rule in the first place?"

She nodded, impressed. "That is a good question. And I am sure there will be other such rules I teach you that turn out to be just as unevenly-enforced as 'I before E'. When you grow up, you will all find it considerably more difficult to assign things to one category or another. There are far fewer absolutes in the real world than you might think. But before you are ready to handle that, learning the rules is important so you can understand when and why those rules are broken. A good education is not unlike a wall, and today we are laying a solid foundation. In time, you will each continue to build your own walls, but for now it is my duty to ensure there are no gaps."

A mouse clambered to her desk and stood on tippy-toes to make sure her hand was visible. "Miss Toriel, Miss Toriel, will building walls be on the test?"

Toriel had to cover her mouth to stifle an involuntary giggle. Not that it stopped some in the class from laughing themselves. "No, my child, that shall come another time, perhaps. But speaking of tests..." she allowed a collective groan to sweep past her ears. "Now that you should have finished copying this week's vocabulary list, it is time to see if you have memorised last week's. Blank paper out please, write your name at the top."

The children took a minute or two to obey. Toriel used the time to regard the dull scene outside her window. The rain had let up somewhat, but there was still no sign of the sun, as though they were still underground. The thought threatened to steal her away, but the sudden drop in volume won out, so she picked up a page with her intended test.

"Everyone has their pencil?" A drone of 'yes's. "Very good. The first word is 'Quickly'. 'Quickly'. Kwik-lee. 'Alphys ran quickly to the door'. The second word is-"

Knock knock. Two dozen or so heads turned to the opening door, where the opener took a moment to brush blond hair from her eyes.

"Like, sorry to interrupt class, ma'am, but there was a surprise inspection of, like, the boiler? And they wanna ask you some questions about why there's no fuel or something?"

"A surprise inspection?" Toriel's brow furrowed. "I received no notification of any such inspection due."

"Well like, that's why they call it a surprise, silly!" The class giggled.

"I thought I had explained to the humans about magical fire. It is not like we are claiming for fuel regardless. Oh dear, I had better straighten this out. Bratty, could you conclude this spelling test, and keep an eye on the class until the bell rings? Hopefully I should not be long, but you never know."

She snatched the paper from her boss. "Sure thing! Okay guys, the first word is, like, 'Quickly'..."

Toriel let the class correct her as she left the room. Not that human oversight of the school bothered her, she'd have probably done the same thing, but if this was the start of trying to ambush monsters catch them in the middle of wrongdoing, that lack of trust would lead to significant problems down the line. Good grief, and she thought she had retired from diplomacy. She was still trying to decide on how best to broach the issue when she reached the boiler room, opened the door without noticing the sign and walked in.

"Inspector, are you still here? I am the Headmistress of this school, how may I..."

She blinked. There were no humans in the room. It looked like nobody else was here at all. What was there was a large red and white checkered blanked spread out on the floor, a basket with a green bottle poking from is rim in the middle, flanked by two unlit candles. Before she could examine the scene any further, she heard the door close behind her. Looking back, Toriel saw a large shadowy figure locking the door with a crisp click, who turned around to reveal a broad, nervous smile.

"Surprise!"

"Asgore!" cried Toriel. "What is the meaning of all this?!"

Asgore rubbed his arm in an act of expressing offence, though his continued smile gave the act a teasing air. "Golly, Toriel, I never expected you to forget what a picnic looked like."

"Yes, but- I know what a- Now?"

Asgore couldn't help laugh at her spluttering. "Why _not_ now?"

"Because s-school!" she stammered. "And inspection! And the children will-"

Asgore rested a finger on her mouth to let her mind catch up to what her mouth was saying. "It's alright, Tori. I told Bratty about the inspection, but there isn't one. She can manage your class for half an hour. The children are going to Papyrus' house, so they should be in good hands. And we always plan and plan and plan these things, I wanted to try something a little different, without forcing us into the open. The door is locked, Woshua knows better than to open a door with _Do Not Disturb_ on it, so let us spend a little time together."

Toriel looked around at the picnic, then back to him. She was still processing everything, and for a moment Asgore worried he'd foisted too much on her. Then her arms grabbed his shoulders, and he was gently pulled forward into a tender nuzzle. He wrapped his own arms around her, and could feel her un-tense as the embrace went on.

"Thank you, Gorey," she said at last, "this is a delightful surprise." She sniffed the air. "Oh, snails! Did you cook them? Did you learn how-"

"Of course not," he chuckled, "if I can't just heat it up I'm no good at that. No, I paid a human restaurant to cook them for me. It turns out they're popular in France."

"Is that so?"

"Indeed. Perhaps if you feel ready we could escar _go_ there for a holiday." Toriel looked blankly at him. "Oh, it's French. 'Escargot' means 'snail' in France."

"Oh. Oh! Hee hee hee!" She reached up and played with one of his floppy ears as they shared more laughter. Then at last they broke apart and sat on the blanket. Asgore lightly touched the candles with his finger, setting them alight, then took out two glasses from the basket and poured out some wine.

"There's a reason why today, isn't there?" said Toriel, accepting a glass and taking a sip.

"Hmm?"

"You are rarely the man to wake up one morning and decide something at such short notice. You were planning this for a while. So why today?"

Asgore didn't deny it. "Isn't it obvious?" Then his smile shrank a little. "Perhaps not, if you've forgotten. I would understand, after all that time apart..."

"What is it?"

"Today. It's the anniversary of the day we first met. Before the war."

Toriel's eyes widened in shock. "That's right! When Papa gatecrashed the party your parents were throwing! I never connected it with..."

"I wouldn't expect you to," said Asgore, "when so much has happened-"

He stopped as her eyes narrowed shrewdly. "Does this mean we are also celebrating your mother's birthday?"

"What, I-" a laughing fit seized him as the implications of the question settled in his head. Toriel quickly joined in, trying to swallow the wine she'd drunk while attempting to look serious. "Ha ha ha! Oh gosh, I've missed this, among many things."

"What, laughing?" giggled Toriel. "You laugh all the time. Especially when Undyne is trying too hard at something."

"True. But laughing _with_ someone, Tori. Keeping it just to ourselves. It's harder for me, I don't have your or Sans' talent for a quick joke. I admit, I had to look up that French snail pun online."

"Well, your delivery was perfect," she said, and they gave a silent toast. Then Asgore took out two plates and doled out food onto them. Not a single mollusk went from the owner's plate to their mouths, however. Instead they kept feeding each other, contentedly sitting beneath a weak lightbulb like many such dates within Mount Ebott. The basket was soon almost empty, and the picnickers lay there untroubled by anything, gently holding hands. It turned out to be Asgore who broke the silence.

"There was another reason I decided to do this," he admitted.

"I thought there might be."

"Asriel."

"Hmm?" She sounded a little worried. "Did something happen? A night terror or-"

"No, no, nothing like that," he assured, "he's made bounds and leaps. Much more comfortable in his fur these days. He may soon be better adjusted than I."

"I thought so as well," said Toriel, "or hoped, maybe. Well we can only continue to help him. But what happened?"

"The truth is, I'd forgotten about the significance of this day as well," said Asgore, "it was Asriel who reminded me."

"Really?" Toriel sat up again, thinking. "I believe we told him once, when he was younger. He really remembered over us?"

"I think he re-learned from us it when he was... troubled," mused Asgore. "But regardless, I overheard him talk to Frisk about it. I doubt he'd admit it, but I think our status is the one dangling thread in his life right now. So I thought, how about a temperature check? And well, here we are."

"Here we are..." repeated Toriel. "You wish me to make a reading on the thermometer? To make a decision now?"

"Never. Only when you're ready."

"I appreciate that, Asgore, I really do, but... is dragging this out fair to the children?"

"Doctor Aventine told me," said Asgore, "that the path to recovery is unique for everyone. Asriel has his path, we have ours, and none will match. That said, the path needn't be lonely or alone if we do not want it to be. Wherever we end up, I think the children will understand. I just don't want to be accused of not making a fair effort."

"Well you certainly are," chuckled Toriel, "this has been lovely. Thank you, Fluffybuns."

"I've one more thing," he grunted, getting to his feet. Toriel watched him walk over to a work bench and pick up an old stereo. "I bought some CDs of the music we used to listen to. The school should be empty by now. Would you care to dance?"

"In here?" She looked around, frowning. "There is no room in here, Asgore. You are already hunched over, you'd probably get carried away hit your horns on the ceiling!"

"Oh..." His frame sagged, genuine disappointment on his face for the first time.

"However," she continued, grinning mischievously, "I heard the humans might be paying us a visit to conduct a surprise inspection of our gym hall. As headmistress and groundsman, perhaps we should test that its floor is up to scratch?"

Copper-Red Eyes found those of Purple, and two enormous smiles blossomed across their faces, punctuated by their fangs. Asgore hurried back over to Toriel on the blanket, and grappled her in an intimate cuddle, clashing giggles filling the air. The temperature gauge on the boiler started rising, even though the fire had not been lit.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think, and thanks for sticking with me through over half a million words!


End file.
